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Assaults by pupils

An assault on any member of staff in a school or college is a very serious matter.

The media often focuses on violent behaviour in schools which has become one of the key areas of concern for NQTs today. ATL's acclaimed publication, Violence, threatening behaviour and abuse gives comprehensive advice on how to avoid and deal with situations of conflict or abuse. You can download this publication for free (ATL members can order a hard copy) but these pages represent a selection of those chapters most relevant to student teachers and NQTs.

If you're assaulted, there are a number of steps you should take.

What the school should do in the case of an assault by a pupil
If you have been assaulted or threatened by a pupil, your employer should take the initiative and take action. Your views are important and should be taken into consideration by your employer when planning how to manage the consequences of an incident. The assault should be reported to the police with a view to prosecution. 

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If you have been assaulted or threatened by a pupil, your employer should take the initiative - and action.
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ATL expects your school to support you if this step is taken. Any action that might hinder the police's involvement will be challenged by ATL on behalf of its members. It is vital schools recognise that supporting their staff in pursuing a prosecution where appropriate sends the message that assaults on staff are unacceptable. 

Be mindful of the legal position on the age of criminal responsibility. However, legal restrictions surrounding the age of the pupil do not automatically mean that the police should not be involved. When the assailant is a child or young person, the school must take the following steps: 

  • suspension from school must be immediate, pending a prompt assessment of the appropriate disciplinary process and penalties
  • ensure that the assault is reported to the police. This is a requirement if a claim is to be made to the CICA and must be done at the first available opportunity
  • the pupil must be dealt with promptly, fairly and, above all, firmly under the school's disciplinary system.    

The school should ensure that the assaulted teacher is not asked to teach or supervise the pupil if he or she returns to school. Sometimes an incident is so serious that staff may collectively consider refusing to teach the pupil concerned. Refusal to teach, supervise or have other professional contact with the pupil is a form of industrial action. It is a last resort and ATL should always be consulted for advice, assistance and approval before the decision to refuse is taken. Action taken along with other unions is often the most effective. ATL's publication, Industrial action, is available to download free to members or can be ordered from tel: 0845 4500 009.

Where the assault is serious, consideration should be given to mounting a private prosecution for assault if the police do not take action. 

A full report should be made to the head or principal and to the employing authority as soon as possible, with a copy to ATL. ATL staff are always on hand to give advice and assistance appropriate to each individual member's case. 

If you're injured, even slightly, you should be examined by a doctor at the earliest opportunity. Similarly, it may be prudent for photographs to be taken of your injuries; they will represent useful evidence in any proceedings, particularly in the case of transitory injuries, eg bruising. If your injury is sufficiently serious to need treatment, the local DSS office should be asked for the form BI 95, on which the details of the injury should be registered. This can help later with claims under the Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme. 

Help and support

For further advice on this issue, ATL members can speak to their school rep, their branch secretary or their regional official. They can also call the London (020 7930 6441), Cardiff (029 2046 5000), Belfast (028 9078 2020) or Edinburgh (0131 272 2748) offices or email info@atl.org.uk

For out of hours enquiries, call the out of office hours helpline on 020 7782 1612 (Monday-Friday, 5-8pm during term time).

If you are not a member, join now.

Any member who has been assaulted, and requires ATL's help, is advised to contact ATL as soon as possible.

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